Italy struggles after record floods

12 November |
22:35

By Silvia Ognibene

Florence, Italy - The governor of Tuscany in central Italy on Monday asked the army for help after flooding killed at least one man, forced dozens of people to leave their homes and swept away bridges and olive groves.

Torrential rain has caused rivers to burst their banks and exposed problems with drainage systems across much of northern Italy. Authorities said a man died when he was caught by flooding of the Chiarone river near the town of Capalbio.

Tuscany governor Enrico Rossi met officials from the Civil Protection Agency and asked for pumps and other emergency equipment from the neighbouring region of Emilia Romagna, which has also seen severe weather in recent days.

He asked the government to send army units to the towns of Grosseto, Arezzo and Siena after dozens of people were forced to leave their homes. Television pictures showed half-submerged cars and people wading in thigh-deep water along the streets.

“It has been devastating,” said Roberto Pucci, mayor of Massa Carrara in Tuscany, one of the worst hit areas.